1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic white balance control circuit for a video camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a video camera, if the white balance thereof is not adjusted, the hue of a reproduced video signal is displaced by the color temperature of an object in the field of view of the camera.
Therefore, several automatic white balance control circuits have been proposed in the prior art, for example, as disclosed in U.K. Pat. specification No. 1,291,601, published Oct. 4, 1972. One of such prior art circuits comprises, independently of a main pick-up element or photo-sensor which picks up an image of the object, an external light sensing element having the same spectral characteristic as the main photo-sensor and in front of which there is located a white semi-transparent plate. From the external light sensing element there are derived three primary color signals that are equivalent to those provided by the main photo-sensor when a white object is picked up by the latter and the three primary color signals derived from the external light sensing element are used to control the three primary color signals from the main photo-sensor so as to have a level ratio of 1:1:1. Accordingly, the three level controlled primary color signals are adjusted as to their white balance.
Generally, the video camera is provided with an automatic iris or stop control mechanism by which the amount of light introduced from the object to the main photo-sensor is maintained substantially constant. Thus, the levels of the three primary color signals are substantially constant regardless of the pick-up circumstances for the object.
However, since the light incident on the external light sensing element is used to obtain the color temperature of the object, the incident light has to be an average of the illumination from as wide an area as possible, and not merely the illumination incident on the object in the field of view of the camera. Therefore, it is not possible to use the light that is introduced to the main photo-sensor via the automatic stop mechanism as the light incident on the external light sensing element. As a result, when the external light is changed, for example, from incandescent light bulbs to natural daylight the level of the output signal from the external light sensing element is changed considerably.
Accordingly, when the white balance of the three primary color signals derived from the main photo-sensor is adjusted by using the output signal from the external light sensing element, the output signal from the external light sensing element must be compressed in level in accordance with the characteristic of the automatic stop control mechanism.
When the level of the output signal from the external light sensing element is compressed, a level control of about 80 dB must be carried out in response to the range in which the external light is changed. In order to carry out a level control of 80 dB, it is known to employ a logarithmic amplifier or to employ an AGC (automatic gain control) amplifier connected in multi-stages.
When the logarithmic amplifier is used, the output signal thereof varies in a logarithmic fashion so that, when the level ratio of the primary color signals is controlled to be 1:1:1, processing of the inverse logarithm becomes necessary and this requires a microcomputer. On the other hand, when the AGC amplifier is connected in multi-stages, the AGC amplifier develops a very high gain and is easy to oscillate and becomes unstable if not oscillated. Further, in any case, if the gain is scattered, it is not possible to accurately control the level ratio to maintain the desired 1:1:1 ratio.